Abstract: A printer with integral scanner obtains a digital signature from an article as it is printed. The integral scanner has a coherent source which directs a light beam to illuminate the article and a detector arrangement to collect data points from light scattered from many different parts of the article to collect a large number of independent data points. The digital signature derived from the data points is stored in a database with an image of what was printed on the article. The authenticity of an article purported to be the originally printed article can be verified by scanning the purported genuine article to obtain its digital signature. The database is then searched, to establish whether there is a match. If a match is found, the image is displayed with the matched digital signature to allow a further visual check that the article is genuine.

Abstract: A printer with integral scanner for obtaining a digital signature from a sheet of paper or other article as it is printed. The integral scanner has a coherent source which directs a light beam to illuminate the article and a detector arrangement to collect data points from light scattered from many different parts of the article to collect a large number of independent data points, typically 500 or more. The digital signature derived from the data points is stored in a database with an image of what was printed on the article. At a later time, the authenticity of an article purported to be the originally printed article can be verified by scanning the purported genuine article to obtain its digital signature. The database is then searched, to establish whether there is a match. If a match is found, the image stored in the database with the matched digital signature is displayed to the user to allow a further visual check that the article is genuine.

Abstract: There is described a method for implementing a system for authentication of an article based upon a signature generated from a set comprising groups of data points collected when a plurality of regions of an intrinsic surface structure of an article are sequentially subjected to coherent light and the light scattered by the intrinsic surface structure is collected.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a digital signature from an article. A coherent light source directs a beam to illuminate the article and a detector arrangement collects data points from light scattered from many different parts of the article to collect a large number of independent data points, typically 500 or more. By collecting a large number of independent signal contributions specific to many different parts of the article, a digital signature can be computed that is unique to the area of the article that has been scanned. This measurement can be repeated whenever required to test authenticity of the article. Using this method, it has been discovered that it is essentially pointless to go to the effort and expense of making specially prepared tokens, since unique characteristics are measurable a in a straightforward manner from a wide variety of every day articles.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a digital signature from an article. A coherent light source directs a beam to illuminate the article and a detector arrangement collects data points from light scattered from many different parts of the article to collect a large number of independent data points, typically 500 or more. By collecting a large number of independent signal contributions specific to many different parts of the article, a digital signature can be computed that is unique to the area of the article that has been scanned. This measurement can be repeated whenever required to test authenticity of the article. Using this method, it has been discovered that it is essentially pointless to go to the effort and expense of making specially prepared tokens, since unique characteristics are measurable a in a straightforward manner from a wide variety of every day articles.

Abstract: A printer with integral scanner obtains a digital signature from an article as it is printed. The integral scanner has a coherent source which directs a light beam to illuminate the article and a detector arrangement to collect data points from light scattered from many different parts of the article to collect a large number of independent data points. The digital signature derived from the data points is stored in a database with an image of what was printed on the article. The authenticity of an article purported to be the originally printed article can be verified by scanning the purported genuine article to obtain its digital signature. The database is then searched, to establish whether there is a match. If a match is found, the image is displayed with the matched digital signature to allow a further visual check that the article is genuine.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a digital signature from an article. A coherent light source directs a beam to illuminate the article and a detector arrangement collects data points from light scattered from many different parts of the article to collect a large number of independent data points, typically 500 or more. By collecting a large number of independent signal contributions specific to many different parts of the article, a digital signature can be computed that is unique to the area of the article that has been scanned. This measurement can be repeated whenever required to test authenticity of the article. Using this method, it has been discovered that it is essentially pointless to go to the effort and expense of making specially prepared tokens, since unique characteristics are measurable a in a straightforward manner from a wide variety of every day articles.

Abstract: A method of shifting information between magnetic layers in a thin film structure. The method can comprising applying a magnetic field to the thin film structure, the field having a magnitude sufficient to switch the magnetisation direction of a predetermined one of a pair of layers within the thin film structure when that pair of layers holds a frustration between two regions of different magnetisation direction order parameter within the thin film structure.

Abstract: A printer with integral scanner obtains a digital signature from an article as it is printed. The integral scanner has a coherent source which directs a light beam to illuminate the article and a detector arrangement to collect data points from light scattered from many different parts of the article to collect a large number of independent data points. The digital signature derived from the data points is stored in a database with an image of what was printed on the article. The authenticity of an article purported to be the originally printed article can be verified by scanning the purported genuine article to obtain its digital signature. The database is then searched, to establish whether there is a match. If a match is found, the image is displayed with the matched digital signature to allow a further visual check that the article is genuine.

Abstract: The present invention can provide an apparatus operable to determine a signature from an article arranged in a reading volume. The apparatus can comprise a generator operable to generate and sequentially direct a focussed noncoherent beam onto each of a plurality of different regions of the reading volume; a detector arrangement operable to collect a set comprising groups of data points from signals obtained when the beam scatters from the different regions of the reading volume, wherein different ones of the groups of data points relate to scatter from the respective different regions of the reading volume; and a data acquisition and processing module operable to determine a signature of the article from the set of groups of data points.

Abstract: Mitigation of processing artifacts caused by surfaces with high contrast printing or coloring transitions within a system to compare signatures derived from inherent physical surface properties of different articles to authenticate or validate articles and within a system to generate signatures from inherent physical surface properties of different articles.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a digital signature from an article. A coherent light source directs a beam to illuminate the article and a detector arrangement collects data points from light scattered from many different parts of the article to collect a large number of independent data points, typically 500 or more. By collecting a large number of independent signal contributions specific to many different parts of the article, a digital signature can be computed that is unique to the area of the article that has been scanned. This measurement can be repeated whenever required to test authenticity of the article. Using this method, it has been discovered that it is essentially pointless to go to the effort and expense of making specially prepared tokens, since unique characteristics are measurable a in a straightforward manner from a wide variety of every day articles.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a digital signature from an article. A coherent light source directs a beam to illuminate the article and a detector arrangement collects data points from light scattered from many different parts of the article to collect a large number of independent data points, typically 500 or more. By collecting a large number of independent signal contributions specific to many different parts of the article, a digital signature can be computed that is unique to the area of the article that has been scanned. This measurement can be repeated whenever required to test authenticity of the article. Using this method, it has been discovered that it is essentially pointless to go to the effort and expense of making specially prepared tokens, since unique characteristics are measurable a in a straightforward manner from a wide variety of every day articles.

Abstract: An apparatus may be provided for determining a signature from an article in a reading volume of the apparatus. The apparatus can comprise a source operable to generate a coherent beam and a beam directing member operable to direct the coherent beam into the reading volume. The apparatus may also comprise a detector arrangement for collecting signals created by scatter of the coherent beam within the reading volume, wherein different ones of the signals relate to scatter from different parts of the reading volume, the detector arrangement having a numerical aperture greater than a predetermined minimum and a processor operable to determine a signature for an article in the reading volume from the collected signals. Use of such apparatus can be repeated whenever required to test authenticity of the article.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a digital signature from an article. A coherent light source directs a beam to illuminate the article and a detector arrangement collects data points from light scattered from many different parts of the article to collect a large number of independent data points, typically 500 or more. By collecting a large number of independent signal contributions specific to many different parts of the article, a digital signature can be computed that is unique to the area of the article that has been scanned. This measurement can be repeated whenever required to test authenticity of the article. Using this method, it has been discovered that it is essentially pointless to go to the effort and expense of making specially prepared tokens, since unique characteristics are measurable a in a straightforward manner from a wide variety of every day articles.

Abstract: There is described a method for implementing a system for authentication of an article based upon a signature generated from a set comprising groups of data points collected when a plurality of regions of an intrinsic surface structure of an article are sequentially subjected to coherent light and the light scattered by the intrinsic surface structure is collected.

Abstract: A printer with integral scanner obtains a digital signature from an article as it is printed. The integral scanner has a coherent source which directs a light beam to illuminate the article and a detector arrangement to collect data points from light scattered from many different parts of the article to collect a large number of independent data points. The digital signature derived from the data points is stored in a database with an image of what was printed on the article. The authenticity of an article purported to be the originally printed article can be verified by scanning the purported genuine article to obtain its digital signature. The database is then searched, to establish whether there is a match. If a match is found, the image is displayed with the matched digital signature to allow a further visual check that the article is genuine.

Abstract: A digital-signature is obtained by digitising a set of data points obtained by scanning a coherent beam over a paper, cardboard or other article, and measuring the scatter. A thumbnail-digital signature is also determined by digitising an amplitude spectrum of a Fourier transform of the set of data points. A database of digital signatures and their thumbnails can thus be built up. The authenticity of an article can later be verified by re-scanning the article to determine its digital signature and thumbnail, and then searching the database for a match. Searching is done on the basis of the Fourier transform thumbnail to improve search speed. Speed is improved, since, in a pseudo-random bit sequence, any bit shift only affects the phase spectrum, and not the amplitude spectrum of a Fourier transform represented in polar coordinates.

Abstract: An article identification method can comprise: determining a signature from an article based upon an intrinsic characteristic of the article; and comparing the determined signature to a stored signature. The method can also comprise splitting the determined signature into blocks of contiguous data, performing a comparison operation between each block and respective blocks of the stored signature, and comparing an attribute of a comparison result from each block comparison to an expected attribute of the block comparison to determine a compensation value for use in determining a comparison result. The method can also comprise determining a similarity result between the determined signature and the stored signature, using the compensation value to adjust the determined signature. Thus an article damaged by stretching or shrinking can be successfully identified. Also, a non-linear signature determination can be accommodated without losing identification accuracy.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a digital signature from an article. A coherent light source directs a beam to illuminate the article and a detector arrangement collects data points from light scattered from many different parts of the article to collect a large number of independent data points, typically 500 or more. By collecting a large number of independent signal contributions specific to many different parts of the article, a digital signature can be computed that is unique to the area of the article that has been scanned. This measurement can be repeated whenever required to test authenticity of the article. Using this method, it has been discovered that it is essentially pointless to go to the effort and expense of making specially prepared tokens, since unique characteristics are measurable a in a straightforward manner from a wide variety of every day articles.